Slidable outer jaw plier-type wrench



Sept. 16, 1952 sHAFF 2,610,534

SLIDABLE OUTER JAW, FLIER-TYPE WRENCH Filed June 14, 1948 INVENTOR.E/WZJZ H 65% ATTORNEY- Patented Sept. 16, 1952 frssri r err-1 Espinner-s ower: JAW Prise-T ers "WRENCH v w iii male. sine, Spring-' ake,,Micl-1 J.

Application Ji'lne 1 4, 1948; "Swish-Notifies This inventionrelates toimprovements in slidable outerjaw plier-type wrench.v

The main" objects-of this inventionare:

First, to :provide awrench havin'gaaiwide rang'e ofadjustment whichisfleasily and quickly manipulatedan'd a't the s'a'me timehas every:eflective gripping engagement with thefwork.

Second, to "provide a'wrenchioi this -type which may-be formedofcoinparatively IightIs'tOcK- and at the same time iis'strongan'drdurabler Third, to-provide a wrench-having the'sead vantages which may:be economically produced and-sis very:convenient to" operate.

Further objects :relatingito "details and economies of the invention:will' a pearirrom": the description to follow. .The inventionrepainted: out in theclaims.

Preferred embodiments 'o'fthe invention are illustrated. in theaccompanying drawings, "in which:

Fig. 1 is a side-elevational view 'o'fmy wrenchShOWII'in'0105BdlPOSifiOIIBy fUH iines and' inlop'e'n position bydottedlines.

Fig. 2 is an under edge elevatioriai viewlooking from the left of Figs..l and 3i Fig. 3 is a fragmentary *view maimy i-nlong'i tudinal section,parts: being shown in fiull "lines for convenience .inillustraticin'.

Fig.4 is a cros's'seotional view on e1ine corre= spending to line 4 4orFig. ;3;rthe= adjustmg=nut being shown in fulllines.

Theembodiment of .my i 'inventicin i1mstrated comprises a tubular handleli oi fl ttened cross section havinga longitudinal s1Ut '2 'On'itsu'I1der side and opposed side-openings ":3 The outer 'jaw member :4*comprises ajaw sane shank 6 s'lidably fitting within th'ehandle. .Thisouter-3 aw member isprovided with"a threadediinnef portion 1 en: gagedby the adjusting inut 8 wlflch' projects through the'aside openings 3 tofacilitat'e adjustim'e-ntof the nut. The?nutfsustains'the erid thrust onthe .jawmember.

The. inner jaw 9', "which-intheembodiment illustrated isfori'ned asassheet metaismmpingns forkedor bifurcated't'o provide-arm's "I I! whichembrace and are pivoted to the handleat TI. The actuating lever Iiisprovidedwithiafi outwardly offset forward end 13, pivoted to the inner:iewaat 1 4; The toggle link l 5 is' pivoted within the handle at I6 andis' ipivotally connected to the actuatingi lever, whieh-is-of'iriwardlyfacing channelisectiomat|1.- The'pi ot-FI ispos'itione'd sotha'tthe li'nk' I 5 mainly-collapsesinthe handle fihrbughi the slo't' 2theredr when helever'is in actuatediipositioniaisis shownifi e Claims.(or- 81 343 The pivot l1 swings across aaxplaneextending through thepivots I 4 andal fi so that when the lever is-in' actuated position .a'locking. toggle is provid'edfor holding' the .jaw' :in its :closed 'oractuated position. A coil spring. 1:8 is arranged on the pivot IA andbisprovided .with a'terminal arm -i9 engaging' theljaw and a'iterminaiarm'ifll engaging the actuating lever so "that "the. spring tends to'op'enthe jaw whentthe tog gle is broken. The "operating lever :is' .ofsuch cross section as to embrace-the inner edgeofithe handle-when inactuat'ed position and totproviide-an' efie'ctive gripelement, that .is,the handle and thelever are both grasped in the .manipulation off-thewrench after theijawtis -zelos'ed.

To permit opening of the-wrench withsthe hand grasping :the Wrench, :1provide a release or trip .iever -2 I which .iszpivoted within the actuating lever l2 and .extendsaforwardlythereim and terminatesin-alaterally disposedfinger piece 24 inthe lever. This tripping leverfulcrums: at 25xon the inner side of the vhandleasoth'at'pressure on thefinger' piece breaks the 'toggle,. .therebyopening the wrench "byretracting the pivoted jaw. Thisiperm'its a one hand operation,thatfisiiboth handsi'are not required toopenithe. jaws.

The shank 6 is preferably; graduated a'sindi ea'ted at 26, thegraduation beingprovided with indicia 2! which facilitates: the.aadjlustment- 'of the wrench for aparticularipieceof work.

My improved wrench with" the parts: arranged asindicatedandidescribe'd?isfc'apableiof'veryiwide range of adjustment and. of.u'ses,1.is' light; iand convenientlyoperated. "I have illustrated ia'nddescribed my inventionin a highly spracti'cal embodim'ent'there'of; Ihave 'not attempteditto illustrate ordescr-ibe various modifications oradaptations which I contemplate-as 'it i'sbelieved that this disclosurewill enable thoseskilled in the-art to'embody or adaptmy invention as'maybe desired.-

Having thus described" m invention, wharf claim as new and d'esire tosecure "by "Letters" Patent'is: i

p 1. 'In a; wrench the combii'ia tioriof a't bular handle of flattenedcross section having a longn tudihal" s'lotin its" under sideandfopposedside openings, an outer .jaw havingfa shank slidable within' sai'dhandle and provided'with'athreaded portion at its inner'end, anadjustin'gnutforsaid outer jaw threaded upon its said threaded portionand disposed to project ,into jsaid opposed 'sfde openingsto-facilitatemanipulation" and support the outer'jaiw in its adjustedipos'ition's;inner Jawforkedtoembrabe"said"handleaiid pivdtally mounted thereon, anactuating lever of inwardly facing channel section having an offset atits 7 slot in said handle, the pivotal connection for the forward end ofsaid link to said lever being adapted to swing across a plane extendingthrough the pivotal connections for the lever to the inner jaw and forthe link to the handle whereby a toggle lock is provided when the leveris in actuated position, a spring arranged on the pivot connecting saidactuating lever and inner jaw and having terminal arms, one of whichengages the jaw and the other the lever whereby the spring acts to urgethe actuating lever and inner jaw to open position, and a toggle releaselever pivotally mounted within said actuating lever to fulcrum on saidhandle and provided with a finger piece projecting through the underside of said actuating lever adjacent its forward end, said actuatinglever being of such cross section as to embrace the under side of thehandle when in actuated position and constituting a grip element when inactuated position.

2. In a wrench the combination of a tubular handle of flattened crosssection having a longitudinal slot in its under side and opposed sideopenings, an outer jaw having a shank slidable within said handle andprovided with a threaded portion at its inner end, an adjusting nut forsaid outer jaw threaded upon its said threaded portion and disposedtoproject into said opposed side openings to facilitate manipulation andsupport the outer jaw in its adjusted positions, an inner jaw forked toembrace said handle and pivotally mounted thereon, an actuating lever ofinwardly facing'channel section having an offset at its outer endpivotally connected to said inner jaw adjacent its outer end, a togglelink pivoted at its rear end within said handle and pivoted at itsforward end within said lever to collapse into said slot in said handle,the pivotal connection for the forward end of said link to said leverbeing adapted to swing across a plane extending through the pivotalconnections for the lever to the inner jaw and for the link to thehandle whereby a toggle lock is provided when the lever is in actuatedposition, a spring arranged on the pivot connecting said actuatingleverrand inner jaw and having terminal arms, one of'which engages thejaw and the other the lever whereby the spring acts to urge theactuating lever and inner jaw to open position, said actuating leverbeing of such cross section as to embrace the under side of the handlewhen in actuated position and constituting a grip element when inactuated position. 7

3. In a wrench the combination of a tubular handle of flattened crosssection having a longitudinal slot in its under side and opposed sideopenings, an outer jaw having a shank slidable within said handle andprovided with a threaded portion at its inner end, an adjusting nut forsaid outer jaw threaded upon its said threaded portion and disposed toproject into said opposed side openings to facilitate manipulation andsupport the outer jaw in its adjusted positions, an inner jaw forked toembrace said handle and pivotally mounted thereon, an actuating lever ofinwardly facing channel section having an offset at its outer endpivotally connected to said inner its forward end within said lever tocollapse into said slot in said handle, the pivotal connection for theforward end or said link to said lever being adapted to swing across aplane extending through the pivotal connections for the lever to theinner jaw and for the link to the handle whereby a toggle lock isprovided when the lever is in actuated position, said actuating leverbein of such cross section as to embrace the under side of the handlewhen in actuated position and constituting a grip element when inactuated position.

4. In a wrench the combination of a tubular handle of flattened crosssection having a longitudinal slot in its under side and opposed sideopenings, an outer jaw having a shank slidable Within said handle, anadjusting nut having threaded engagement with said shank and disposed toproject into said opposed side openings to facilitate manipulation andsupport the outer jaw in its adjusted positions, an inner jaw pivotallymounted on said handle, an actuating lever of inwardly facing channelsection having an offset at its outerend pivotally connected to saidinner jaw adjacent its outer end, a toggle link pivoted at its rearendwithin saidhandle and pivoted at its forward end within said lever tocollapse into said slot in said handle, the pivotal connection forthe'forward end of said link to said lever being adapted to swing acrossa plane extending through the pivotal connections for the lever to theinner jaw and for the link to the handle whereby a toggle lock isprovided when the lever is in actuated position, a spring acting to urgethe actuating lever and inner jaw to open position, and a toggle releaselever pivotally mounted within said actuating lever to engage saidhandle and provided with a finger piece projecting through the underside of said actuating lever adjacent its inner end, said actuatinglever being of such cross section as to embrace thev under side of thehandle when in actuated position and constituting a grip element when inactuated position.

5. In a wrench the combination or a tubular handle of flattened crosssection having a longitudinal slot in its underside and opposed sideopenings, an outer jaw having a shank slidable within said handle, anadjusting nut having threaded engagement with said shank and disposed toproject into said opposed side openings to facilitate manipulation andsupport the outer jaw in its adjusted positions, an inner jaw having afixed pivotal connection to said handle, an actuating'lever of inwardlyfacing channel section having an offset at its outer end pivotallyconnected to said inner jaw adjacent its outer end, and a toggle linkhaving a fixed pivotal connection at its rear. end within said handledirectly to said handle and pivoted at its forward end within said leverto collapse into said slot in said handle, the pivotal connection forthe forward end of saidlink to said lever being adapted to swim across aplane extending through the pivotal connections for the lever to theinner jaw and for the link to the handle whereby a toggle lockisprovided when the lever is in actuated position, 7

r 6. Ina wrench the combination of a handle, an outer jaw having a shankslidable within said handle, an adjusting nut for said outer jaw havingthreaded engagement therewith disposed to project from said handle tofacilitate manipulajaw adjacent its outer end, a toggle link pivoted atits rear end'within said handle and pivoted at tion and to support theouter jaw in its adjusted positions, aninner jawhaving a'fixed pivotalconnection to said handle at its forward end, an actuatingleverpi'votally connected to said inner jaw at a point spaced from itsconnection to said handle, a toggle link having a fixed pivotalconnection at its rear to said handle directly to said handle andpivoted at its forward end to said lever, the pivotal connection for theforward end of said link to said'lever being adapted to swing across aplane extending through the pivotal connections for the lever to theinner jaw and for the link to the handle whereby a toggle lock isprovided when the lever is in actuated position, and a toggle releaselever pivotally mounted on said actuating lever to engage on said handleand provided with a finger piece projecting through the said actuatinglever adjacent its forward end.

ERNEST H. SHAFF.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 5 9,252 Shepard Nov. 21, 1893952,079 McIntire Mar. 15, 1910 2,312,947 Westman Mar. 2, 1943 2,313,270Sapp Mar. 9, 1943 2,443,153 Wells June 8, 1948 2,471,734 Fischer May 31,1949 2,481,435 Meunier Sept. 6, 1949 2,489,895 Kash Nov. 29, 19492,500,590 Ward et a1 Mar. 14, 1950 2,533,817 Koskinen Dec. 12, 1950

